(July 12, 2024) Mount Hope, WV – Donald McIntosh started his quest for a second Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series Championship with a thrilling victory in the miniseries opener at Beckley Motor Speedway. The Dawsonville, Georgia driver showcased his skill by earning Fast Time honors in qualifying, winning his heat race, and dominating the 53-lap main event.
A Hard-Fought Victory
McIntosh faced intense competition throughout the race. Early on, he trailed race leader Zack Dohm but made a decisive move to take the lead on lap thirteen. A caution for a spinning Shane Greco on lap fourteen bunched up the field, but McIntosh maintained his composure and held the lead for the remainder of the race.
“What an awesome racecar, this thing was such a pleasure to drive,” McIntosh said in victory lane. “I’ve got to thank Billy Hicks, the crew, and all of our great sponsors, but man that was fun. I hope we can keep it rolling. We’ve had a really good car lately; just needed some luck and we found it tonight!”
Notable Performances
- Chris Ferguson: The Mt. Holly, North Carolina driver made impressive moves, passing three cars to finish second.
- Tyler Bare: Starting twelfth, Bare advanced through the field to secure a podium finish in third.
- Gavin Cowan: Despite hitting the wall during qualifying, Cowan recovered by passing six cars in the B-Main and sixteen more in the feature to finish fourth.
- Zack Dohm: After leading the initial twelve laps, Dohm finished fifth.
Event Highlights
- Fast Time in Qualifying: Donald McIntosh clocked the fastest time in FK Rod Ends qualifying with a lap of 12.782 seconds.
- Heat Race Winners: McIntosh, Zack Dohm, and Chris Madden each won their heat races.
- B-Main Winner: Tim Vance took the checkered flag in the lone B-Main.
Recap Notes
- Caution Flags: There were four DirtCarLift.com caution flags during the race. Incidents included spins by Shane Greco and Caleb Fulp, a mechanical issue for Matthew Nance, and contact involving Kenny Rucker and Chris Ferguson.
- Chris Madden: The five-time Southern Nationals Series Champion retired under the lap 14 yellow flag and finished twenty-first.
Upcoming Race
The Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series moves to Wythe Raceway in Rural Retreat, Virginia, on Saturday, July 13, for another exciting event. Previous winners at Wythe include notable drivers like Dennis Franklin, Chris Madden, and Brandon Overton. For more information on the event, visit Wythe Raceway’s website.
Schaeffer’s Oil Feature Finish (53 Laps):
- Donald McIntosh [1]
- Chris Ferguson [5]
- Tyler Bare [12]
- Gavin Cowan [20]
- Zack Dohm [2]
- Kyle Hardy [9]
- Jacob Hawkins [8]
- Henry Hornsby III [15]
- Benji Hicks [6]
- Cory Hedgecock [21]
- Wayne Hughes [7]
- Stacy Boles [18]
- Tim Vance [19]
- Shane Bailey [16]
- Mike Benedum [11]
- Kenny Rucker [22]
- Caleb Fulp [13]
- Matthew Nance [10]
- Chris Meadows [4]
- Doug Sanders [17]
- Chris Madden [3]
- Shane Greco [14]
